Rammer



March 13, 1962 ROSENBLUM 3,024,705

RAMMER Filed Jan. 26, 1960 INVENTOR. ROBERT A. ROSENBLUM PM' QQ 4.2 9%

+ .1 Maya 3,024,7fi Patented Mar. 13, 1962 3,024,705 RAMMER Robert A. Rosenblurn, Skolkie, Ill., assignor, by inesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Jan. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 4,835 1 Claim. (Cl. 89-47) The present invention relates to a rammer for a gun and more particularly to an improved rammer for revolver-type, recoil operated guns.

In revolver-type automatic guns, a distinguishing feature is the use of a drum having a plurality of ammunition receiving chambers. By means of this drum the rounds of ammunition are automatically taken from a source of supply and delivered to a station for firing. This is accomplished by rotation of the drum as by a reciprocating actuator which successively indexes the drum chambers in progressive stages incident to receiving the round, firing the round, and ejection of the case after firing. One or more stages of ramming are utilized to completely chamber the round in the final ram station. In the final ramming stage, the round is subjected to high impact forces with the result that the round is liable to damage not only at its base where it is engaged by the rammer but also at the shoulder or neck of the case.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a rammer which will obviate damage to the case of a round of ammunition as the result of impact forces incident to ramming.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved rammer for a gun which is highly efficient in operation yet relatively simple in construction.

In accordance with the present invention, a portion of the rammer adjacent to the ram face, which is used for chambering the round in the final ram station, is made resilient to absorb the impact forces to which the round is subjected.

The novel features characteristic of the present invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will be understood better from the following detailed description of a single, preferred embodiment and when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a conventional gun and showing a rammer in accordance with the present invention, and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, sectional view of a portion of the rammer, the view being taken along the line 22 in FIGURE 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein similar reference characters have been used to designate coresponding parts throughout, the rammer 1 of the present invention is shown in association with only those parts of a gun necessary to an understanding of the present invention.

For purposes of illustration, the present invention is shown and described in association with portion of an automatic weapon of the revolver-type which employs a two-stage rammer. In general, the parts of a gun of this type, which are shown in FIGURE 1, comprise a drum 3, drum support 5, actuating slide 7, a receiver 9, and a feeder assembly 11.

In a weapon of this type, a tube and breech assembly are arranged for recoil and counterrecoil and associated therewith is a revolving drum 3 which is a distinguishing feature. The drum comprises a cylindrical member containing five cartridge or round receiving chambers 13 and is revolvably mounted on a shaft 15 carried by the drum support 5. The chambers are disposed parallel to the rotation axis of the drum and at equal distances from each other as well as at equal distances from the cylinders rotation axis.

The actuating slide 7 is fitted in guideways 17 provided in the receiver 9 and is disposed for slidable movement backwards and forwards beneath the drum and drum support in a manner well known in the art. The slide is mechanically connected with the drum in a manner which will impart rotation to the drum in response to reciprocating movement of the slide.

The feeder assembly 11 is mounted on the receiver and disposed to one side of the slide. The feeder assembly is arranged in a manner to receive an ammunition belt (only portions of which are shown) and feed it to a sprocket assembly (not shown) in a manner well known in the art. The ammunition belt consists of a plurality of individual round receiving links 19 which are interconnected by link gripping members 21. The sprocket assembly is arranged to rotate respective rounds of ammunition into alignment with the chambers of the drum preparatory to ramming.

The rammer 1 comprises an arcuate shaped member mounted on the actuating slide and having two ramming faces 23, 25 provided on its leading or forward edge 27. The ramming faces are so disposed as to strip two successive rounds simultaneously from the ammunition belt links incident to transfer of the rounds into the drum chambers. As shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the rammer face 23 disposed near the top is in a position to strip a round located in the position approximately at 11 oclock. Counterrecoil of the weapon is effective to move the rammer forwardly and, at the same time the rammer face 23 will move the round forwardly to strip it partially from the link holding it an amount equal to the distance of the counterrecoil movement. This will orient or position the round for complete ramming by the lower positioned rammer face 25 upon movement to the next station which is located at approximately 9 oelock, as seen in FIGURE 1. Although movement of the drum, the sprocket carrying the links, and the rounds of ammunition are intended for rotation counterclockwise in the embodiment shown and described herein, the weapon can be made to operate in the reverse, clockwise direction equally as well. For the purpose of absorbing high impact forces incident to final chambering of a round of ammunition, the rammer is provided with resilient means such as the crimped or folded portion 29 adjacent to and rearwardly of the rammer face 25. The purpose thereof is to make a resilient portion which will serve as a shock absorber.

The apparatus will be found to operate as follows: When the weapon is ready to fire, the actuating slide 7 is in a forward position on the receiver 9. When a round is fired, the slide is driven rearward incident to recoil and simultaneously therewith both the drum and the feeder sprocket are caused to rotate counterclockwise. The drum and sprocket are indexed one-half station during the recoil stroke and another half station on the counterrecoil or forward stroke. Ramming is accomplished in two stages by means of the rammer 1 which is attached to the actuating slide 7. On the forward or return stroke of the slide, the upper ramming face 23 engages the base of a cartridge and pushes it through the link 19 and partially into the chamber 13 in line with the cartridge. At the same time, the lower ramming face 25 contacts the base of the next succeeding cartridge which had been partially rammed on the previous cycle and completes chambering it. Inasmuch as the shoulder or neck of the round is engaged with complementary portions of the chamber, the force of impact of the rammer is absorbed by the folded portion 29. Thus, the folded portion will prevent damage to the case either at the shoulder or at the rim of the cartridge engaged by the rammer face 25. Simultaneously with complete chambering of this round, the next succeeding round (not shown) moves into alignment with the gun barrel preparatory to firing as the slide reaches its battery position. The fourth stage effects extraction of the empty case.

It will be recognized from the foregoing description by persons skilled in the art that the present invention achieves an improved result not contemplated by the prior art and provides a simple solution for preventing damage to the cases of rounds of ammunition. Although but a single embodiment of the present invention is shown and described herein, it is understandable that modifications and alterations may be made therein Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention claimed herein.

What is claimed is:

In a gun having a tube and breech assembly arranged for recoil and counterrecoil, a multiple stage rammer comprising a drum rotatably disposed relative to said breech assembly and provided with round receiving chambers and means for rotating said drum thereby to successively index the chambers in stations including a final ram station, said rammer including a plurality of ramming faces at least one of which is disposed for complete chambering of said round in the final ram station, an integral portion of said rammer adjacent to said one rammer face comprising a strip of material projecting toward said round and having a plurality of folds for resiliently absorbing impact forces incident to complete chambering of said round.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,778,276 Hepperle Jan. 22, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,963 Norway Apr. 19, 1907 

